


Death's Favorite

by AshWinterGray



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), The Sandman (Comics)
Genre: Adopted Children, Dream of the Endless│Morpheus Needs a Hug, Dreams, Dreams and Nightmares, Dreams vs. Reality, Family Secrets, Freedom, Hugs, Imprisonment, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Kidnapping, Laughter, Siblings, Suicidal Thoughts, Truth, reasons to live
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:46:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27292156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshWinterGray/pseuds/AshWinterGray
Summary: Jason Todd found himself in Wych Cross, England to save children. What actually happened was something else entirely. He saved Morpheus, or as he claims his name is; Dream. It changes things for both Dream and Jason.
Relationships: Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd & Dream of the Endless│Morpheus, John Constantine & Dream Of The Endless | Morpheus, John Constantine & Jason Todd
Comments: 17
Kudos: 143





	Death's Favorite

**Author's Note:**

> Writers block sucks and this is what came out in my moment of suffering.

The events that brought Jason to Wych Cross, England had to do with the Burgess family. Well, indirectly, at least. In actuality, Jason was looking for a man employed by the Burgess family. Alexander Burgess came from his own line of shady figures, but this particular man employed by the man had a second job as a human trafficking bodyguard. Jason hoped to get information on several kids that had been taken from Crime Alley. And if not those kids in particular, well, then he’d get information on what kids he could.

“Ah, Mr. Todd,” Paul McGuire greeted him at the door. “Do please come in. We’ve been expecting you.”

“Thank you, Mr. McGuire,” Jason greet the older gentlemen. Rumor had it he and Alex were lovers. Neither would confirm it. “I am so terribly sorry to have bothered you like this.”

“What manners,” Paul laughed. “You have the accent of a street-rat American, but the grace of a proper English man.”

Jason grinned. “My grandfather was born and raised in Britain. As you can imagine, he beat the practice into us. A soldier, actually, before he retired. His father was a butler for a wealthy family and when he passed, my grandfather moved to America to take care of his wares, and the old charge my great-grandfather raised lost both his parents, he took over. He always had a kind heart. But as the saying goes, you can take the kid off the street, but you can’t take the street out of the kid. I hope you’ll forgive my accent.”

“As polite as you are?” Paul smiled right back, obviously charmed. “You could murder me, and I’d thank you.”

Jason laughed at that one. Paul had no idea just how on the nose he was. The cover Jason was using was that he was rather interested in old legends and stories, and that he heard that the Burgess family had a few relics. His phone call to them had asked if they had any recommendations of places to see something truly unique in London while he was here on business, as a friend recommended getting the Burgess opinion. Lies, of course, but no one needed to know that. To his surprise, Paul McGuire had invited him to the house. And here he was.

“Come, right this way,” Paul guided. “I’d like to show you some of the artifacts before I introduce you to Alex. Then, after dinner, I’ll see if he’s up to showing you the far better items in this household.”

Jason was already intrigued, carefully passing his suitcase to the awaiting butler. Of course, the suitcase had many secret compartments that would hide whatever Jason didn’t want found. And the most important things were currently kept on Jason’s person.

Let the game begin.

“Over here we have a rather marvelous item dating back to ancient Rome,” Paul began, waving his hands eagerly. “It’s said to have been touched by the gods themselves.”

Jason followed along, playing his part to a T.

\-----------------------------

Alexander Burgess was an old, grumpy man. He seemed to take disdain in everything, and he snapped at everyone. It was clear he had a terrible day to everyone, but Paul didn’t seem the least bit put out as he introduced Jason to Alex. Jason spun the same story he had earlier, and Alex seemed impressed with Jason’s history, if a little annoyed by the accent.

“You are interested in history and the unexplainable, then?” Alex groused to Jason.

“Yes, sir,” Jason grinned. “I’ve always been fond of mysteries. Wondering how so many legends began. Looking at the tales behind them. History and the impossible are often linked, you know. What wonders wait in the shadows, what are things we believe are just dreams but really exist? I like to find those answers, sir.”

Alex seemed intrigued to say the least.

“Then, perhaps, I can show you something truly marvelous.”

“Alex!” Paul gasped. “You can’t possibly mean-!”

“Oh, but I do,” Alex was grinning at Paul, not necessarily wickedly, but the smile made Jason shiver. “Tell me, Mr. Todd. Can you keep a secret?”

Jason wasn’t sure what to say, but he agreed. This was one of those times that he thanked Bruce for that training. And Talia. And the All Caste. But for now, Jason needed to focus. He still hadn’t seen the man he needed to interrogate.

To Jason’s surprise, he was led down several corridors, guided down a set of stairs, and led through a heavily locked door. The first thing Jason noticed was the two guards, one of them being his intended target. But he didn’t dwell on the target for long. Instead, his gaze was dragged to a man on the floor. Naked. Skinny. Trapped in glass with some sort of circle drawn on the outside. The man in the glass cage did not react to their entrance. Just continued to lay still.

“Mr. Todd,” Alex spoke. “This is the impossible. The living embodiment of Dream trapped at our mercy.”

Jason had to work extra hard to conceal his horror at the man. He didn’t care who this person was. He knew the Burgess family had a shady, questionable reputation, but this? What _was_ this?

“I don’t understand?”

“My greatest artifact,” Alex hummed. “Imprisoned here by my family. By my father, actually. You see, Mr. Todd, there are seven siblings, born of Time and Night. They are Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delight. Decades ago, my father wanted to achieve immortality, so he sought to imprison Death here, but when they summoned Death, instead, Dream came to us. We have kept him here for nearly decades, offering him a deal. His freedom for immortality.”

Jason had no words for any of this. But he observed the scene before him. The kids would have to wait. This was more important. Later, Jason swore to secrecy before he went to bed. Jason was not an expert on magic, but he was familiar enough with magic circles. Neither Alex nor Paul had noticed when Jason purposefully slid his foot across the circle, causing it to scuff. He wasn’t sure if it was enough for Dream (if that was really his name) to escape, but Jason didn’t intend to leave Dream down there for long. Once he was certain most of the house was asleep, Jason made his move.

Getting the old key from Paul McGuire was fairly easy. And moving through the old house was just as easy. Unfortunately, the guards had already changed out, but Jason could worry about that another time. It wasn’t too hard to incapacitate the guards either. Dream sat up, eyeing Jason warily.

Jason placed a finger to his lips. “We must keep quiet. I’m going to get you out.”

Unlocking the cage was easier than Jason thought, and Dream continued to eye him warily, glancing to the two unconscious guards. Jason carefully lifted a bathrobe he had nicked from a bathroom.

“This was the best I could find that would fit you,” Jason told Dream, offering it gently. “If it rubs against your skin too much, I’ll find something else, but we must go quickly.”

Dream slowly took the bathrobe and slid it around his body, then he gripped Jason’s hand.

“Can you stand?” Jason asked, keeping his voice calm. “You don’t have to speak if you don’t want to. Just a nod for yes or a shake of your head for no.”

“Why?”

His voice was deep, almost soothing. It was an odd sound, really. But Jason ignored that.

“Because you need help.”

“YOU!”

Jason pulled Dream to his chest, instantly pulling out one of his guns and aiming it at the old butler. The butler faltered, fear on his face.

“You have no idea what you’ve done,” the butler tried to plea.

“Yes. I do.”

And he did. Jason would never be able to explain how he knew, but he did. The chaos that followed was something Jason could never quite remember, but he knew he hadn’t once fired a shot. One minute, he was being blocked in by the housekeepers, the next saw him outside, hoping in his vehicle after depositing Dream in the passenger seat.

“You were touched by my sister.”

Jason shot a look to his new companion. “No idea what that means, but okay.”

“You do not remember,” Dream seemed to conclude. “How strange.”

“Listen, man, as interesting as that statement is, we really need to focus on getting you someplace safe,” Jason huffed. “You got a place to go?”

“The dreaming?”

“The what?”

“I need you to sleep,” Dream stated, as if that explained everything. “Then I will return home.”

Sounded sketchy, but whatever. Jason got them checked into a seedy hotel, ditched the car, and then promptly fell asleep. When he woke up the next morning, Dream was gone. No note. No thanks. Nothing.

Jason just grumbled to himself and went back to the task at hand.

\------------------------------------

Jason didn’t seem Dream again until much later. A couple months, actually. In fact, Dream had been so busy with trying to rebuild his realm and pick-up where he left off, that he would admit he forgot his rescuer until he came across Jason Todd in the dreaming. It was one of those bad nights when Jason found himself reliving his death in his dreams. He was just to the part where Batman would come to him and then turn away when a figure appeared.

“How plagued you are,” Dream spoke, startling Jason. “No man should live like this.”

“Dream,” Jason breathed. He knew who this was now. Skin pale. Robes of black. Eyes like twin stars. “You’re alright.”

“Yes, thanks to you,” Dream nodded. “But you are clearly not.”

Dream surveyed the dream around him, the nightmare that plagued his rescuer. Despair would probably be furious with him later. Regardless, Dream allowed the dreamscape to change.

“Welcome to the library, Jason Todd,” Dream offered a hand, just as Jason had for him all those months ago. “You are free to read whatever you wish, so long as Lucien will let you.”

“I don’t-”

“It will be alright, Jason,” Dream promised.

As Dream suspected, Despair was rather put-out that Dream stole one of her own. Dream’s actions resulted in an immediate summon by Destiny, brought forth by Despair. It had been some time since the siblings had gathered, and Dream couldn’t think why a private matter such as this would involve the family. Still, it was nice to see his siblings all together after so long. Death, oddly enough, was silent through the conversation, surprising Dream. She always had words of wisdom for her siblings, always gave advice. Then again, Jason had clearly met Death before. He would need to look into what happened. The person that _did_ come to Dreams defense was none other than Delirium, much to everyone’s surprise.

“He suffers,” Delirium hummed. “Lots and lots. All the time. He nearly broke that time, remember. Your toys are no fun when they’re broken. Let Dream play with him. You have other toys. Lots and lots.”

“Dream? Play with a human?” Desire laughed in disbelief and amusement. Dream scowled at her. “Now why would he do that, Del?”

“Not play,” Delirium shook her head, making her hair fly about. “I like Jason. He’s-he’s different. Even Dee thinks so. We all like Jason, but he’s no fun if he’s broken. He’s going to crack soon. Very soon.”

Death still wasn’t speaking.

Despair, however, sighed. “Take him, Dream. I did not call this meeting to fuss with you about the boy. Our sister is right, I do have other toys, as she puts it. This is one human that I wish not to break, and he is very close to cracking.”

Desire sat up. Far too quickly in Dream’s humble opinion. In fact, if Dream didn’t know any better, he would say Desire was scared. Worried.

“Is he?” they asked, golden eyes that trapped many souls now alight with an unexplainable emotion. “Surely he isn’t?”

“When was the last time he called to you?” Despair turned to her twin.

Desire seemed to grow pale. “I hadn’t realized… Death, Dee, I’m sorry.”

Death still said nothing.

“If a decision has been reached, I suggest you all return,” Destiny sighed. “We have kept Death too long. And Dream must reacquaint himself with his realm.”

With that said, Death left before he could receive an explanation. But Dream had a feeling he knew what his sister had done. Of all of them, Dream could not believe Death had been the one to break the rule. Sure, Dream had done so several times, himself, but Death was never one to risk such a thing. Dream could only think of one instance.

“Take care of him,” Desire told him before they left.

When Dream returned, he found Jason in his library once more, reading an old classic.

\------------------------

It was natural for Dream to find Jason in the dreaming now. Lucien had roped the boy into helping around the library, and Dream had left the door open. He rarely glanced at the dreams that led Jason to his library. Dream would admit he was fond of Jason. He didn’t dare let it become love. If Dream was right, Death had already made that mistake.

Despite seeing Jason in the dreaming, it was rare for Dream to cross paths with the boy in the waking. When he went to talk with John Constantine, he had not been expecting so many people. Nor did he expect Jason to be among them.

“What exactly do you expect me to do with this information? Constantine glared at him

“What you like,” Dream stated back, not at all bothered. “But it may give you an answer you were seeking.”

Constantine grumbled about the Endless and cryptic and straight answers. The rest of this…Justice League was staring in shock at the newcomer. It was as Dream turned away from Constantine that he caught sight of Jason. Jason seemed rather stunned to see him, but carefully schooled his expression.

Then Dream left. Unfortunately for Jason, the look last long enough for John Constantine to notice. Constantine managed to ask Jason out for a drink when Batman wasn’t looking. He knew enough about the boy before him.

“You don’t remember,” John hummed, more to himself than anything. “Then I owe you an apology.”

Jason shook his head. “It’s-I-don’t worry about it.”

John had a feeling there was a reason Jason didn’t remember. The Endless were fickle like that, as John had seen for himself. Still, of all the people in the world, he wondered what it was that drew the Endless to Jason Todd. Not even Hob Gadling seemed to know, and John had spent a considerable amount of time trying to find the man at Mad Hettie’s insistence.

“Do you know?” Jason asked, voice somewhat desperate.

It was clear no one had ever talked to Jason about this before. No one had brought it up. John was mentally cursing the Bats for turning out a child like this. And not just any favorite…

“I don’t know much,” John admitted to the boy in front of him. “I will tell you this. For some reason or another, you have Death’s favor.”

“Death?”

“The Sandman’s older sister.”

“Sandman? What are you-oh. You mean Dream.”

John huffed, but it was an amused huff. This kid was on a first name basis with the Sandman? Not even Mad Hettie would dare call him by that name, and she had guts.

“Yes, him,” John nodded, an amused grin creeping up his face. “Now I don’t know the whole story, and given how long the Sandman was gone, he probably won’t know either, but something happened. Rumor has it that Death _refused_ to take you through her gate. It took time and convincing, but Destiny managed to rewrite history to bring you back.”

“And then I didn’t come back right,” Jason muttered.

“Not necessarily,” John shook his head. “You may not have passed through Death’s gates, but you were by her side. You were there with her whenever she took a soul through her gates. You watched the living die for some time. It’s understandable that you wouldn’t remember that; being mortal and all. The question now is why?” 

“Why?”

“Yes, why did she not take you?” John hummed. “It’s a question that has everyone stumped. Mortals and beings alike.”

Jason didn’t know. He couldn’t think of a reason why Death would favor him. Dream made sense because Jason had saved the man (or was it being?). But why did Death want him alive?

“Unfortunately, mate, you did endure the brunt of Death’s other siblings for a while there,” John continued on, as if he wasn’t completely shattering Jason’s reality. “Desire and Despair, the twins. Despair enjoys suffering, as you can imagine. And Desire loves to tempt people. Wanting something and actually getting it are two different things. Dreams return and claim on you changed things.”

“What does that mean, exactly?” Jason stressed, not sure what else to do.

“I don’t know,” John admitted. “But you’ve got some powerful people on your side, kid.”

\----------------------------------

The next time Jason meets Dream, it’s in the dreaming, and Dream looks…tired. Jason can’t even begin to imagine what path Dream has taken, but it has clearly worn the man out.

“I’m not a good man, Jason.”

“I’ve met worse,” Jason stated back without hesitation. “And I don’t think anyone is truly good.”

“I’ve made mistakes.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“I’m tired.”

“…Me too.”

Dream hadn’t realized it then, but when it came time to fight the Kindly Ones, it was Jason who came to mind. He had peaked at enough of the boys dreams to realize that losing him would destroy the boy. Dream did not wish to be in his role any longer, but he could not abandon the boy. So as the Kindly Ones attacked, as Death prepared to take her brother, Dream reacted.

Elsewhere, the book of Destiny rewrote itself.

Later, feeling drained and lost, Dream wandered to Wayne Manor. He knew Jason was there. Injured after a mission. It was Tim Drake who came to greet him.

“Jason says he knows you,” Tim eyed the man.

“As I know him,” Dream stated right back, not a hint of a lie in his voice.

Tim nodded. “He wants to see you.”

The Batman did not seem happy by Dream’s presence, but Dream hardly cared. He went straight for Jason’s cot in the medical wing. He had seen this place enough times to know his way around. The other Bats seemed nervous and on edge, but again, Dream didn’t care.

Jason’s eyes widened at the sight of him.

“She said I wouldn’t see you again,” Jason breathed, slowly reaching for Dream’s cloak. “She said you would be gone.”

Dream supposed that was fair. When this began, Dream had no intention of telling Jason he was going to die. The library would always remain open to Jason. Always. Not even a new incarnation would have been able to change the detail. But Dream hadn’t planned to say goodbye. Simply to leave. He thought it would hurt less.

He was most definitely wrong.

“I’m not a good person, Jason.”

The relief on Jason’s face…

“Yeah, well, neither am I.”

Dream couldn’t help it. He laughed. Bright and free. It had been so long since Dream felt unburdened by his job. By his own _existence._ And wasn’t that the kicker. He couldn’t deny it anymore. He loved Jason dearly, like his own son. Or…how he should have loved his sons. It was dangerous. A breach of the law. A death sentence. Dream stayed by Jason’s side until he fell asleep. And then he met him in the dreaming.

\-----------------------

“Have I killed him?”

Destiny was silent for a moment. The thought had been plaguing Dream for days. So much so that Jason had to purposefully seek him out in the dreaming to be sure he wasn’t dead. In the end, seeing Jason’s pained expression, Dream had sought out his older brother, Destiny. He couldn’t bring himself to ask his sister.

“You know I cannot read ahead,” Destiny responded, making Dream growl at his older brother. “It is too soon to tell. But you are not the first.”

“I suspected as such,” Dream admitted, slouching in his chair. “Is there a story there?”

“You should ask Death yourself,” Destiny advised.

\-----------------------------

John Constantine was getting really tired of this. He wasn’t a medium. Especially not for the Bats. And extra especially not for a kid that wasn’t even dead anymore, and technically hadn’t been dead to begin with.

“I asked you a question.”

Constantine continued to take a swig of his beer. This, of course, anger Batman, and he promptly slapped the mug away, spilling his precious beverage all over the table and floor. Some got on John’s coat, too. He liked this coat.

“Go ask your son.”

“John,” Clark tried.

“No!” John shot up. “I’m not going to help the pointy-eared furry play cat and mouse with his son just because he can’t accept who he became. News flash, Bats, your son has been claimed by the most powerful beings in the Universe. So if you don’t want him, he will be taken care of. Gladly. But even I’m getting mixed signals here.”

“You know nothing,” Batman snapped.

“I know _enough_ ,” John raised his hand to stop Zatanna from getting involved. “And you know, I tried to help you once. I gave you one job. _One!_ And would you like to tell the League what you did, or should I?”

Wonder Woman, who had been quite for this conversation, glanced to Batman expectantly. He could see her hand creeping towards the lasso at her hip.

Batman didn’t budge.

“You came to me with the question of how to get your youngest son back,” John began, voice calm, soft, terrifying. “And I told you I had no answer for that. Then I gave you one very _simple_ task. And do you remember what I told you to do?”

“You told me to ask Jason.”

“That’s right, Bats, I told you to _ask_ Jason,” John snarked right back. “You know, sit down. Maybe have a cup of tea. Nice and calm like. But that’s not what you did, was it?”

“Bruce?” Diana’s voice was warning, harsh. Good. Someone had better care about this mess. “What did you do?”

Batman wasn’t going to answer. John could tell the moment those words left Diana’s lips.

“He took the kid to Ethiopia,” John said, his voice dark, the tip of a curse dangling from his tongue. “And not juts anywhere in Ethiopia, he took him back to the very warehouse where he died. Then he proceeded to beat the kid up in an attempt to jog his memory.”

With that information out in the open, John left the League to handle the situation. He was quite done with all this. Maybe Jason or Hob was up for a drink. Once he got his coat cleaned, of course.

\------------------------

Dream once more took up Death’s offer to accompany her on her work. It was silent for a time, but Dream needed answers, and Death knew that. Finally, she spoke.

“I met Jason as a baby, teetering on the edge of life and death,” she began. “His birth parents were arguing.”

Willis Todd and Shelia Haywood. Dream had seen them both in Jason’s nightmares a few times.

“I held him.”

Dream felt his eyes blow wide. You see, mortals who knew of his sister, those who had seen her and managed to live, had a theory. Death loved life. She loved her job, of course, but Death had a strange fascination with life, and she had a special place in her heart for children. On those instances where she allowed herself to become human, Death rarely interacted with children. Death was a punishment for any mortal that one of the Endless fell in love with.

And wasn’t it funny that the English language was the only language in the world that had a single definition for love.

The theory, however, was that because Death loved life, it meant all those living were doomed to die. This theory, however, could not be proved. Not even their father, Time, nor their mother, Night, could determine if this theory had any weight to it. Dream suspected that not even Death knew the answer.

“You watched over him,” Dream concluded. “Loved him.”

“And he suffered that price,” Death agreed.

This conversation was interrupted by the next soul his sister guided through her gates. It gave Dream time to think.

“Have I condemned him?”

“No.”

There was weight to that answer. Death had done something.

“You did not make him immortal.”

Hob Gadling was Dream’s closest friend, besides Jason and Death, of course. The man seemed to enjoy his immortality, but Dream could see why. But Jason… Immortality would destroy the boy they had both come to love.

“No. I did not.”

Dream left his sister at that. He had much to think about. Dream wasn’t sure what to do next. Of everything that had happened since his imprisonment, Dream hadn’t let himself rest. There was too much. He had changed for the better. He firmly believed that. He was a better man now. And he was alive because Jason had been an anchor for him to grasp.

Delirium had said Jason had suffered. That was evident form his nightmares. Perhaps it was time Dream talked with his other siblings.

\-----------------------------

Other than Dream and Death, Jason had no direct contact with any of the Endless. He knew John claimed that two of the siblings had interfered in his life due to Death’s actions, but he had never met either Desire nor Despair. So imagine Jason’s surprise when he met Delirium at a 7/11.

“Thank you,” she grinned as she accepted the slushie. “I like these places. They’re funny. I like funny places like airports. Yeah. Those places are nice.”

Jason couldn’t help but smile at her. He could tell she was old, but she acted so young. The youngest, if Jason remembered correctly. Once, a long time ago, she had been Delight. She never talked about what happened, but she seemed happy the way she was.

“Can I go with you?”

“Yeah, kid,” Jason grinned, getting a happy smile in return. “You can come with me.”

They spent the day going all over Gotham, doing whatever Delirium felt like doing. Her thoughts were constantly scrambled, but Jason kept his patience, smiling and laughing with her. And despite the scattered mess that was her head, Jason learned that Delirium was incredible clever. Perhaps the smartest of her family. She knew things, things that not even her siblings new.

“That was fun,” Delirium grinned as they stopped at an empty park. “But Dream will be sad if you don’t sleep. I don’t want to keep you. He would be so sad.”

“Okay, kid,” Jason assured. “I’ll go see Dream.”

Delirium clapped in delight and waved goodbye.

The grin on Jason’s face as he got home surprised the rest of his family, but nothing they said could ruin the mood he was in.

\-------------------------

Speaking with his siblings needed to wait. A decision not taken lightly. But one not at all regretted.

“I take it this is the rest of the story.”

The Batman watched in horror as his dead son vanished into sand. The area around them followed much the same, much to Batman’s shock. There were fresh tear tracks on the man’s face; a wound that hadn’t closed quite yet.

“You.”

Dream was unbothered. “Dream. Though some find that name odd. Your son is one of the few outside my family to use that name. Morpheus might be a better name, if you prefer.”

“What are you doing here?”

Mortals were so amusing. “This is my realm. Every time you go to sleep, you enter my domain. I oversee the dreams of everyone, and occasionally, I interfere. A common name for me is the Sandman.”

Batman blinked, then pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Perhaps somewhere more comfortable.”

In a instant, Batman found himself in the study. He turned to Dream in question.

“The Batcave, as you call it, is your domain,” Dream explained. “I imagine you would be more comfortable accepting a stranger in a place that you don’t deem as under your full control. This is but an image, a memory, of a place you are fond of.”

Batman nodded. Good. At least the man was quick on the uptake.

“What do you want?”

“There are many things I want,” Dream stated. “As my sibling, Desire, well knows. And you have clearly invoked the amusement of Desire and their twin, Despair. Just as Jason had.”

Despair could fight him for all he cared, Dream wasn’t going to let Jason suffer when all he truly yearned for was his father. Besides, he needed to talk with his siblings anyways.

“Walk with me,” Dream commanded.

Batman seemed to realize that fighting wasn’t an option. Good. He was a smart man. Still, it was going to be a long night for the Batman. A long night of hard truths that Jason had already accepted.

“You care about him,” Dream would tell Bruce later. “You care about all of them. And you fear that care will kill them. But I can assure you, Batman, that if you had asked, Jason would have begged death for you. Would you do the same for him?”

It would be a long night, and Bruce would wake up with that terrifying question ringing in his ears. Almost like a curse.

\----------------------------------

Despair and Desire found him. And John Constantine. And Jason Todd. Dream knew instantly that neither of his siblings had any intention of harming the two mortals because Desire had their eyes hidden, and Despair came clothed. It was a step that he doubted either twin would have made in the past. Especially for him.

“Did you tell them what Death told you?” Desire asked.

“Of course,” Dream nodded, still not sure what to make of his sibling’s presence.

“Well then, allow me to be the first to say, welcome to the family, dear,” Desire grinned in Jason’s direction. “Our sister might as well adopted you with that claim she has. I’m officially your Aunt-Uncle.”

Jason…blinked in surprise.

“It took months for Death to negotiate terms,” Despair hummed. “There were several agreements made for you to return to life. After all, for one of us to fall in love is a death sentence, but Jason’s role in the future was far too great for the punishment. Death may have loved you, Jason Todd, but we all _need_ you.”

“In return for your soul being returned to its body, and by default, back to life, Despair and I would get to torment you for a time,” Desire chirped on. “However, part of the agreement was that we weren’t permitted to break you. As my dear twin said, you, Jason Todd, have a special role with us.”

“And what is that role, exactly,” John questioned. “And what do I have to do with it?”

“All in due time,” Despair waved off. “There is a reason Dream, himself, does not know. But his purpose began when he rescued our brother.”

“There were other clauses, of course,” Desire waved their hands flippantly, as if dismissing those very clauses. “Death is forbidden from interacting with Jason directly, and word of the wise, brother dear, try not to bring the boy up to her. She doesn’t take it well. I believe another part of the clause was that he wouldn’t be returned to his father right away, though I originally believed it said **_at all_** , but Delirium didn’t like that very much. Whatever little sister wants, and all that…”

“Desire,” Dream stated, voice firm as he placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “Enough.”

It was clear this was too much for the boy. Jason was clearly reeling from the shock. Neither Desire nor Despair looked the least bit remorseful.

“Well you wanted answers,” Desire huffed. “We’re giving them to you.”

Curse his siblings and their inability to relate to mortals.

“So what do I do?” Jason asked later, now safely away from Desire and Despair. “What do-what do I do?

The answer, Dream decided, was simply.

“You live, Jason. Live because you have that gift, and when the time comes, Death has promised she will take you. For now, all I want is to see you live your life. You have been gifted a chance of a second life time, a gift rarely given. A suggest you use it.”

Jason seemed relieved with that answer.

“This is all well and good,” John Constantine stated, and Dream had forgotten he was there, and glared at them both in annoyance. “But why am I here, exactly?”

Dream chuckled. “Well, someone needs to protect Jason in the waking.”

Constantine looked beyond done with the entire situation.


End file.
